NAGPUR, the second capital of Maharashtra and
the second greenest City of IndIa. popularly known
as "Orange City" IS spread across an area of 217
sq.kms. It is an Important rail road Junction and
anupcoming industrial hu~buzzing with hectic
commercial activities.

Historically the City of Nagpur was the capital of
the erstwhile Central Provinces and Berar The need
for planned development of the city was felt at that
time,as the existing Municipal CommIttee was not
equipped to undertake such a gigantic task nor did
it have the ability to generate the necessary funds.

With this view. The Nagpur Improvement Trust was
formed by enacting Nagpur Improvement Trust Act,
1936. Actual functioning of Nagpur Improvement Trust
started in the year 1937. The goal set before the
Nagpur Improvement Trust was,to develop new areas
within the city of NagpuJto cater to the needs of
the growing population.

For proper development of the city. the Nagpur
Improve:;nent Trust has powers to form vanous types
of schemes. For Implementation of these ifiChemes~;:
powers of Planning Authority as well as Development
Authority are vested with the Nagpur Improvement
Trust. During the last 6 decades of its existence,
Nagpur Improvement Trust has transformed the sleepy
old city Into an emergIng Metro by executing 45
development schemes whereby about 55% area of Nagpur
City has beer! developed
Thesn schemes and projects undertaken by NIT, have
given a face-lift to this historic City. The
implemented projects have Impr'oved the urban
environment of the City and upgraded the existing
Infrastructure. adequate enough to meet the growing
demands of rapid urbanlsatlon and Increasing
population. Now the State Govt. of Maharashtra vide
G.R. dated 24.12.2002 has extended the jurisdIction
of NIT beyond the Municipal limits of Nagpur over an
area that constitutes the Metro Region thereby
widening the scope of its work.

Because of the small size of the managing body of
Nagpur Improvement Trust, the decIsion-making IS
speedy and effective which is the hallmark of any
dynamic institution. Unlike other InstitutionS
managed by the State Government, NIT does not
receive any grant whatsoever ,from the State
Government As a result, there is no financial burden
on the State Government on account of NIT.

Over the last six decades. the City has got the much
needed face lift owIng to the all round eHorts put
In by Nagpur Improvement Trust. This information
book is a humble attempt on our part to bnef the
readers about various schemes that have been
successfully planned and executed by NIT so far.

As the Planning
Authority and Development Authority for the entire
Nagpur
Metropolitan region, NIT's jurisdiction touches all
aspects of the city's development.

NIT is the sole authority for land Planning and land
Acquisition and is responsible for
infrastructure such as roads. streetlights. drainage
& sewerage systems and public
utilities to meet the diverse needs of the citizens.

Working:

As per the Provisions of Section 27 of the act, NIT
is empowered to plan and execute various development
schemes. An improvement scheme shall be one of the
following types or may combine any two or more of
such types, or any of the special features there of,
that is to say,

(a) a general improvement scheme;

(b) a re-building scheme;

(c) a re-housing scheme;

(d) a street scheme;

(e) a deferred street scheme;

(f) a development scheme;

(g) a housing accommodation scheme;

[(h) a future expansion or improvement scheme] ;

[(i) a drainage or drainage including sewage
disposal scheme.]

Thus the Nagpur Improvement Trust has played a major
role in changing the visage of the city. By playing
a crucial role in area planning and development. the
NIT primarily undertook to plan and execute
development of various pockets of the city. It has
been a relentless forging ahead on this front
single-handedly for the NIT for the past 65 years.

Section 57 of the act provides for the handing over
of layouts developed by NIT to NMC for
maintenance. Section 57 is reproduced below for
quick reference:
-
57 Whenever the Trust is satisfied

a) that any street laid out or altered by the Trust
has been duly levelled, paved, metalled, flagged,
channelled, sewered, and drained in the manner
provided in the plans sanctioned by the
(State)Government under this act, and

b) that such lamps, lamp-posts, and the other
apparatus as the Trust may consider necessary for
the lighting of such streets have been so provided,
and

c) that water and the other sanitary conveniences
ordinarily provided (in the city) have been duly
provided in such street.

the Trust may call upon (the Corporation) by a
notice in writing, to take over the management of
such street within a period specified in the notice,
which shall not be less than one month and, on
-receiving such a notice (the Corporation) shall,
subject to the provisions of sub-section (3) by a ,i
written notice affixed in some conspicuous place in
such street, declare the street to be a public
street; and the street shall thereupon vest in (the
Corporation) and shall henceforth be maintained,
kept in repair, lighted and cleansed by (the
Corporation);

2) When any open space for purposes of ventilation
or recreation has been provided by the Trust in
executing any improvement scheme, it shall on
completion, be transferred to (the Corporation) by a
resolution of the Trust and shall thereupon vest in,
and be maintained at the expenses of (the
Corporation); provided that (the Corporation) may
require the Trust, before any such open space is so
transferred, to enclose, level, drain and layout
such space and provide footpaths therein.

3) I f any difference of opinion arises between the
Trust and (the Corporation) in respect of any matter
referred to in the foregoing provisions of this
sections, the matter shall be referred to the
(State) Government, whose decision shall be final.

4) The (State) Government may resume the management
of any street or open space (..... ) vested in the
Trust under clause (b) of sub-section of
section 45.

As the end result of
the sustained endeavour of the NIT is to better the
life of the denizens. its Constitution too aims at
making it more people-oriented. As per the
provisions of the NIT Act. the management and
working of NIT has been entrusted to a Board of
Trustees. A senior IAS Officer of the rank of
Secretary or Commissioner heads the Board as its
Chairman. This Chairman is a State-Government
appointee.

Other Members of the board are:

1. Commissioner, NMC. Nagpur Ex-officio Member.

2. Deputy Director. Town Planning. Nagpur Division
Ex-officio Member.

3. Chairman. Standing Committee. NMC Ex-officio
Member.

4. A Corporator elected by NMC.

.5. A member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
who is a resident of Nagpur City.

6. Three members appointed by the State Government.

Thus it can be seen that the provisions ensure
that there is adequate participation of people's
representatives in the work of the NIT. The
Constitution has made the NIT accountable to the
public at different levels. The appointment of three
NMC members to the Board is yet another progressive
step towards this.

As per the
provisions of the land Acquisition Act, 1894 the
acquisition and disposal of land by agreement
or compulsory acquisition is carried out by NIT in
the following manner.

NIT outlines schemes and sends the same to the
Government for their sanction. On obtaining the
required sanction, NIT acquires the land as per the
identified areas to execute development work in the
layouts as per the scheme chalked out. The plots in
the developed layouts are then sold by NIT by
auction. Revenue generated through the
auctioning of plots in the developed layouts
constitutes NIT's major source of funds
which are utilised for carrying out various
activities.

Part of the acquired land is retained by NIT and
developed for public utility, open spaces, civic
amenities etc. Public utility land areas are also
allotted to public -institutions by NIT on
concessional rates thereby contributing to social
welfare.

Community Welfare

NIT also distributes significant part of the
acquired land to economically weaker sections of
society at nominal rates. 20,000 plots have been
distributed so far under NIT's scheme of land
Distribution for community welfare.

Since its inception, NIT has functioned as the
backbone of city planning. Due to the land Planning
and Development function effectively carried out by
NIT over the past 6 decades, Nagpur has emerged as
one of the most well planned cities. Nagpur is
probably the only city in India with such well
developed layout structure and open spaces.

NIT has also undertaken road widening scheme for the
city for which NIT has spent large amount from its
own funds for betterment of prime roads such as
C.A.Road, Panchpaoli Road [Phase I & II), Ganga
Jamuna Road, Itwari Station Road and several other
roads passing through remote areas have also been
revived under NIT's public oriented schemes.